Commentary on Revelation, Commentary on the Book of Revelation · Chapter 3 · Part 5
The fift Epiſtle to the Biſhop in Sardis.
1. And unto the Angel of the Church in Sardis, write, theſe things ſaith he that hath the ſeven ſpirits of God, and the ſeven ſtarres; I know thy workes, that thou haſt a name that thon liveſt, and art dead.
2. Be watchful, and ſtrengthen the things which remaine, that are readie to dye: for I have not found thy workes perfect before God.
3. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold faſt and repent: If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thiefe, and thou shalt not know what hower I will come upon thee.
4. Thou haſt a few names even in Sardis, which have not defiled their garments, and they shall walke with mee in white: for they are worthy.
5. He that overcommeth, the ſame shall be cloathed in white raiment, and I will not blot out his name out of the booke of life, but I will confeſſe his name before my father, and before his Angels.
6. He that hath an eare let him heare what the ſpirit ſaith unto the Churches.
THE COMMENTARIE.
VNnto the Angel of the Church in Sardis] By the name Angel, as we have formerlie ſhewed, is noted the Paſtor of the Church: and not him onelyonly, but the reſt of the officers, yea and the whole Church: for it ſeemeth they were all alike faulty: according to that of Ieſus the Sonne of Sirach: As the judge of the people is himſelfe, ſo are his officers, and what manner of man the ruler of the citie is, ſuch are all they that dwel therein. Sirac. 10.2And therefore whatſoever is amiſſe in the people, is imputed to the negligence of the Paſtor; and what is good in them, to his prayſe and commendation. Some old writers affirme, that Melito was Biſhop in Sardis, of whom Euſebius maketh mention, lib. 4. hiſt. cap. 26. But neyther the argument of the Epiſtle, nor time when it was written doth agree hereunto. For Melito is commended for his ſanctitie & martyrdome: this teacher is accuſed of hypocriſie & negligence. Moreover Melito was Biſhop of Sardis in the raigne of Antoninus Pius, unto whom Iuſtine Martyr dedicated his ſecond Apologie in behalf of the Chriſtians. This Anton: raigned more then ſixty yeeres after Domitian, in whoſe time, John (being baniſhed into Patmos) wrote the Revelation. Now it is not probable that Melito ſhould ſo long continue paſtor in Sardis: although in al likelihood Polycarpus all this time was teacher in Smyrna. ſee cha. 2.8.
Therfore howbeit it be uncercaine who he was, not beeing named, yet Chriſt ſharply reprooves him for his hypocriſie and negligence. Hence obſerve, how vainly the Romiſh Paraſites boaſt, as if the Pope and his adherents can not erre in matters of faith: ſeing two onelie of the ſeven teachers of Aſia are commended for their ſinceritie in life and doctrine: the reſt accuſed by Chriſt eyther of foule hypocriſie, Hor: in Epist. quid concinua ſamos, quid Craeſi regia Sardis?or of the haereſie of the Nicolaitans.
In Sardis] The famous and ſometime royal citie of Croeſus, ſeated (as Plinie writeth) on the ſide of the mountaine Tmolus: of which I have before ſpoken: but here again repeat it, leaſt ſome might be miſtaken as thoſe who thinke, that the Synod called Sardicenſis, held in the eleventh yeare of Conſtantine, was in this citie. For Sardica was a towne in Illyria, to which place came all the eaſterne & weſterne Biſhops by the commandement of Conſtans & Conſtantius Emperors. But this Epiſtle was not written to the Angel in Sardica, but in Sardis.
It conſiſteth of a preface, a narration, and a concluſion. The preface by two epithites declareth the majeſtie of Chriſt, the author of this epiſtle, and his care for the Church, he is ſaid to have the ſeven ſpirits of God, and the ſeven ſtarres, to wit in his right hand, as in chap. 2.2. from whence it might ſeeme that the words, & the ſeven ſtarres, were taken and here miſplaced: but the conſent of all copies is to be allowed. By the ſtarres the teachers are ſignifyed, as chap. 1.20. But in the deſcription of Chriſt cha. 1.20. there is no mention made of the ſeven ſpirits: & therfore ſome have thought, that they are the ſeven ſpirits mentioned cha. 1.4. but ſeing theſe ſpirits are joyned with the ſeven starres, that is, the Biſhops of the Churches, I therfore judge, that theſe ſeven ſpirits are Angels properlie ſo called, becauſe Chriſt imployeth them together with the miniſters of the Churches for the welfare of them that are heires of ſalvation: ſee cha. 1.4. Neyther doth the article (foreign) being put before foreign the ſeven ſpirits, contradict this expoſition: for in cha. 17.1. the article (foreign) is alſo put before foreign I wil ſhew thee the Iudgement (foreign) of the whore, of whom notwithſtanding there was no mention before: ſee our expoſition on that place.
Thus we ſee, that Chriſt hath the ſeven ſpirits of God in his hand, that is, all the Angels who readilie doe his commandements and judgements, both in defending of the godly and puniſhing of the wicked, he hath alſo in his hand, the ſeven ſtarres, that is, all the miniſters & officers of his Church, that ſo through his grace they may ſhine like ſtarres, in ſinceritie of life and puritie of doctrine before their flockes. For as Chriſt is the author of the miniſtry, ſo hath he given it unto the Church & worketh ſo powerfully in & by the ſame, that hereby he both gathereth & preſerveth continually a Church among men, according to that of Ioh. 15.6. I have ordained you, that you ſhould goe & bring forth fruit, & that your fruit ſhould remaine. Now touching the ordaining & governing of the ſtarres, whither it be taken properly or improperly, XIX. Arg. of Chr. deity.it is onelyonly the powerful worke of God. And therfore theſe Epithites doe plainly yeild unto us a nynteenth argument to prove the deity and omnipotencie of Chriſt our Lord.
J know thy workes] The firſt part of the narration is a reproofe of the ſecret hypocriſie in the heart & life of this teacher. Thy works, that is, I ſee al the indeavours & cariage both of thy private life & publick miniſtry: I know thy hidden hypocriſie: for ſo he explaineth it: thou haſt a name that thou liveſt, & art dead, that is, thou art generally reputed to be a faithful & godly teacher; but thou art an hypocrite as beeing deſtitute of faith and true holines, & ſo dead, that is, as a painted ſepulchre before the Lord guiltie of death, although thou ſeemeſt to be alive & holy before men. Hence we learne three remarkeable pointes.
The firſt is an evident argument of Chriſts divinitie. For if Chriſt ſo knowes all our workes, as that he diſcerneth betwixt true godlines, and hypocriſie the dead and living members of the Church, true paſtors and hypocrites: then certainly he tryeth the heart of man, which is onelyonly proper to God, and is not communicable to any creature, no not unto the Angels. Which further confirmeth the X. and XVIII. argument before mentioned.
Secondly we are taught, that all who profeſſe the truth, and make a ſhew of holines, are not truely faithful and regenerate perſons, but many of them are hypocrites and deceivers, as being farre otherwiſe then they are accounted of for hypocriſie is an outward ſhew of inward holineſſe: or a profeſſion of faith with the mouth, beeing in the mean time deſtitute thereof in the heart. And hence we may conclude that a bare profeſſion argues not true faith, as the patrones of hypocrites affirme, whereby they oftentimes delude themſelves & others. Act. 8.13.Simon Magus is ſaid to beleeve. Therfore, (ſay they) ſome who profeſſe & have true faith may fall away and periſh. But this place ſhewes us, that many are inwardly dead, who outwardly ſeem to be alive: being with Ananias the hie Prieſt, whyted walls, Act 23.3. Matt. 23.27. Mat. 8.22 1 Tim. 5.6with the Phariſes painted ſepulchres, & ſpiritually dead, as Chriſt ſpake to the yong man: let the dead, burie the dead. And Paul ſpeaketh of ſome wanton widowes, who are dead while they live: yea all men conſidered in their natural condition are dead in treſpaſſes and ſinnes. To be ſhort, many have faith without love, which is dead, a faith which the Devils alſo have. Thus we ſe in ſcripture how they are ſaid not onelyonly to be dead, who are deprived of naturall life, but alſo not beeing regenerated to a ſpirituall: or who are ſincere in appearance onelyonly, and not in truth. Let us therfore take notice that all are not godly, who ſeem ſo to be: neyther ſhall all they, who ſay Lord, Lord, enter into the kingdome of God: for the Church conſiſteth of a mixture of ſaintes, and hypocrites: and this difference is not onelyonly in the laitie, but chiefly in the Clergie, as they call it: that is, many who in ſheeps cloathing, ſeem to be true Paſtors & teachers, are in truth but mercenarie wolves: and howſoever theſe may deceive men, yet Chriſt knowes them: And therfore let not the Biſhops of Antichriſt thinke to blinde the eyes of Chriſt, with their titles, mitres, and royal robes.
The conſideration of this informeth us in the firſt place, of the divers condition of the Church in this world. For many are called to be members of the Church whereof ſome are good, others bad, ſome ſaintes, others hypocrites: like as the net takes in al manner of fiſhes.
But howſoever the faintes elected, are not knowen of men, yet God & Chriſt doe diſcerne them. For the Lord knoweth who are his. Therefore let every one try and examine himſelf whether he be dead or alive: for hypocrites deceive not God, but man & their owne ſoules. Wherfore let us ſhun hypocriſie even as a peſt, remembring what Ambroſe admoniſheth, not to reſt contented with a bare name, & in the mean while to be greevouſly guilty: or with the hight of honour while we abound in ſins: or with a profeſſion of Godlineſſe, while our actions are deviliſh.
For otherwiſe we ſhould onelyonly have a name to live, when in deed we are but dead.
Laſtly obſerve, that the efficacie of the miniſtry doth not depend upon the goodnes of the miniſter. For God doth ſometime vivifie and governe his Church by dead officers, as we have here an example: which ſerves to confute the Donaliſts and Popiſh Sophiſters: who maintaine, that there was not any Church of the elect, untill the time of Luther in the Papacie but themſelves, except we wil acknowledge their Biſhops (for other there were none) to have been approved of by the Lord.
2. Bee watchfull] The ſecond part of the narration is an exhortation, admoniſhing the Angel in Sardis of divers things, to the end he might purge himſelf from the crime of hypocriſie: and withal he is threatned to be puniſhed except he doe repent. Firſt he is commanded to ſhake of that hypocritical drowſines into which he was fallen. Be watchful, that is ſtirre thy ſelf up: for he is not onelyonly required to be more faithfull and careful over the Church, then formerly he had been: but alſo called upon, as it were, to live againe: for ſo faith Chriſt, but thou art dead. Now death in ſcripture is frequently compared to a ſleep: ſo that this place, and that of the Apoſtle (ſpeaking unto men fallen into a deep ſleep of ſin,) is of the like interpretation: Ephe. 14A wake thou that ſleepeſt, and ariſe from the dead, and Christ ſhall give thee light. Not as if wee could of our ſelves ariſe from the death of ſin: (for this is a worke of Grace) but becauſe the Lord by his precept powerfully worketh in us, that which he requireth of us: and by the operation of his owne ſpirit rayſeth us up, beeing aſleep in ſin, unto newnes of life.
And ſtrengthen the things] Or rather ſtrengthen the rest, that is, ſuch dying members of the Church, as are committed unto thy charge, who becauſe of thy negligence decay both in faith and holineſſe. For it is no wonder, that a Church ſhould fal into a deadneſſe and ſecuritie, while the officers therof are aſleep: Chriſt therfore comm…ndeth him to ſtrengthen them that is, to labour by a holie life and doctrine, to bring them againe into the way of life.
That are ready to dy] in Gre. foreign that ſhall dy, that is, which are near unto death: like as in Luk. 7.2. it is ſaid of the centurions ſervant, foreign he ſhould dy, that is, was ready to dy. So theſe here were near unto death, though not altogither dead, and therfore the Paſtor is exhorted carefully and ſpeedily to put to his helping hand for their recoverie: This care the Apoſtle recommendeth unto all the faithful: Rom. 14.2.namely, to receive them that are weake in the faith: And therfore it is a ſpeciall dutie of the miniſters of God, who are ſpirituall phyſitians, to applie to Chriſts weaklings the holeſome medicines of Gods word: 1 Tim. 2.9.for otherwiſe, God ſaith unto them by the prophet, foraſmuch as ye have not strengthened the diſeaſed, Ezec. 34.4nor healed that which was ſick, nor bound up that which was broken, nor ſought that which was lost, &c. Behold I am against the ſhepheards, and I will require my flock at their hand, and cauſe them to ceaſe from feeding my flock. Montanus reads it, foreign which thou art ready to loſe, that is, deſtroy by thy negligence; which is a more heavie expreſſion.
For I have not found thy workes perfect] Theſe words containe a reaſon wherfore God requires him to be watchfull. But it may ſeem, that this reproofe is not equal & juſt, 1 Cor. 13.9conſidering that no mans workes on earth are perfect before God, if he ſhould enter into Iudgment with us: for, we know but in part, we propheſie in part: and there is not a juſt man on earth that doth good, Eccle. 7.20and ſinneth not. I anſwer: Chriſt ſpeakes not here of the common infirmities of the ſaintes: but accuſeth this Biſhop for his notable hypocriſie, and condemnes him not, for not beeing fully and abſolutely perfect: but becauſe he found him not upright in his wayes before him: for he was onelie an eye ſervant, outwardly ſhewing a Zeal to pietie, and in the meanwhile ſecretlie a ſelfe-ſeeker and one who fulfilled his owne luſt, not at all caring what became of his flock. Now foraſmuch as Chriſt knew this his cloſe and wicked deceit, it proves againe that he ſearcheth the heart, & ſo is true God: ſe arguments X and XVIII.
Before God] Montanus, Arethas, and the old verſion read it, before my God, hence ſome hereticks thus reaſon. If Chriſt have a God, then he is not God himſelf. I anſwer, all other copies read it foreign, before God, and it ſeemeth that theſe by ſome overſight here added, foreign (my) taking it from v. 12. But be it granted, Io. 20.17.that the text ſhould ſo be read, yet it helpes them not: for Chriſt, as he is man, hath a God. I aſcend to my God, and to your God; now howſoever in this reſpect, he is not God: yet as he is the Sonne, he is true God and life eternal, and coeſſential with the Father. But here we ſe, how manie things approved of by men, are indeed verie vile before God, who ſees all things with eyes of flaming fire. Bleſſed therfore is he, Rom. 2.29who approveth himſelf ſincere, not before men onelyonly, but eſpeciallie before the Lord.
Remember therfore how thou hast received] How, that is, what. In the third place he is exhorted to be mindful of the faith delivered and committed to him by the Apoſtles, to preſerve the puritie therof in the Church, and leave it incorrupt to poſteritie. For it ſeemeth that this Biſhop was unmindful of the truſt committed unto him, and named aſide from the holie doctrine and way of the Lord. But all our Biſhops forſooth and eſpeciallie the Romiſh, are altogether infallible, yea incorrigible, becauſe unto them alone, and not to any other, belongeth that promiſe: The ſpirit ſhall lead you into all truth.
Here we are taught, that the onelyonly way to redreſſe the corruptions both of life and doctrine, is to have recourſe to the rule of Gods word, and to ſet it alwayes before our eyes.
Thus Paul reproving the Corrinthians for their abuſe about the Lords ſupper, 1. Cor. 11.23.cals them back to the firſt inſtitution therof. Cyprian writing to Pompie againſt the Epiſtle of Stephen Biſhop of Rome, illuſtrates the matter by an excellent ſimilitude: If, ſaith he, the conduites which before did plentifullie afforde water to the citie ſhould ſuddenly be ſtopt, would they not go to the fountaine, there to take notice of the defect, whither the fountaine were dried up, or the conduites ſtopped, or the water drawen ſome other way? that ſo the conduit pipes being mended, the citie may enioy the former benefit of the water. Even ſo it becommeth Gods ministers, when the truth of God in any thing hath been changed, & men have been unconſtant therin, to returne to the firſt original and Apoſtolical tradition, that the reaſon of our actions may flow from whence they had their firſt ſpring and original.
And repent] The laſt and chiefeſt thing required in him, is repentance, that is, to forſake his hypocriſie, and ſincerely to performe the dutie of his place. For then indeed we repent, when leaving our evil wayes, we order our ſteps aright, and ſeriouſly turne, to the Lord: the which I confeſſe, is not in our owne power to doe: but God gratiouſly effecteth the thing which he commandeth in whomſoever he pleaſeth. Howbeit they are inexcuſable, in whom he worketh it not, becauſe they willingly diſobey the commandement. But it may be objected, they cannot doe it of themſelves. It is true indeed, but from whence doth this ariſe? for have they not of their owne accord brought this inabilitie uppon themſelves, and alſo by a voluntarie obſtinacie augmented it, wherby they have made themſelves inexcuſable, and ſelf guiltie before God?
If therfore thou ſhalt not watch] That he might be the more awakened, Chriſt adds to the exhortation a ſharpe commination, threatning him except he be watchfull to come on him as a thiefe, that is, ſuddenlie and unawares, to take vengeance on him for his hypocriſie by ſome horrible Iudgment.
On thee] foreign, upon thee, or to thee, not in a good ſence, as that ſaying, thy king co…eth to thee, to wit, for thy good: but in an evil ſence, that is, to thy deſtruction: and therfore Beza more ſignificantly renders it: Againſt thee. Thus Chriſt alſo ſpeakes of himſelf, Mat. 24.43. and Reve. 16.15. Behold J come as a thiefe, bleſſed is he that watcheth &c. ſo Paul 1 Theſ. 25. which compariſon as it is not diſhonorable unto Chriſt in uſing it: ſo doth it no way countenance or alow thieviſh courſes: for the ſimilitude reſpects not the evil practice of theeves, but their ſudden breaking and entring in upon men, while they ſleep ſecurely; Math. 24.43.and thus the Lord himſelf expoundeth it: but know this, that if the good man of the houſe &c. ſo here, And thou ſhalt not know what houre J wil come upon thee, to wit, to inflict puniſhment on thee for thy ſecuritie. Ribera underſtands it of death, when thou least thinkest of it, thou ſhalt dy, and be called to judgment.
The uſe Chriſt ſhewes in the place before cited: Therfore be ye alſo ready: for in ſuch an houre as you thinke not, the Son of man commeth.
4. Thou haſt a few names even in Sardis] The third part of the narration, is a commendation of ſome that were faithful in this Church. For howbeit through the negligence of the Paſtor moſt of them were dead, or ready to dy, yet the Lord ſtil reſerved ſome unto himſelf who were upright, according as he is accuſtomed to doe even in ſuch Churches, as are moſt corrupt. For example when the ten tribes were fallen away, and had publickly ſet up the idolatrous worſhip of their Calves, and Baal, and withall ſo oppreſſed the godlie, as that Elias verelie thought that al the Lords prophets except himſelf had been ſlaine by the ſword: yet even then God had left unto himſelf, ſeven thouſand, who had not bowed the knee to Baal. 1 King. 19 18. Rom. 11.4.In Pauls time the whole nation of the Iewes ſeemed to be rejected, and deſtitute of the grace of Chriſt: yet at that preſent time there was a remnant, according to the election of Grace, as the Apoſtle ſheweth: The like may be ſaid touching the papacie, for though in many ages togither, both the grace of Chriſt, and his true Church hath been as it were trampled under foot, and the ſame overſpread with horrible idolatrie in all kinds: yet as the hiſtories of the martyrs doe witneſſe, the Lord had ſome few names among them continually, who reſiſted the publick abuſes of the times even unto blood.
Moreover as this commendation was comfortable to the Godly, ſo it did tend to the great ſhame of the Paſtor: Therfore leaſt the faithful ſhould have thought that Chriſt alſo was wroth with them, they are by name (to the others diſgrace) much commended for their conſtancie. Now what is more diſhonorable then that the diſciples ſhould in doctrine excel their teacher, and the ſheep the Paſtor in ſinceritie of life?
Names] That is perſons, as Act. 1.15. there were a hundred and twentie names. So Reve. 11.13. there were ſlaine 7000 names.
A few] For manie are called, but few are choſen, almoſt in everie congregation. We ought not therefore to be offended at the paucitie of the faithfull, and the multitude of the ungodly. The Papiſts indeed glory in their multitude, and write volumes in praiſe of the largenes of the Romiſh Church, upbraiding us becauſe of our fewneſſe: but here we ſee how in Sardis there were many hypocrites, a few names onelyonly who were not defiled.
Here againe we have a cleare proofe of Chriſt divinitie, in that he is ſaid to know theſe few names in Sardis, the truth is, he knowes all the faithful, and diſcerneth them from hypocrites, 2. Tim. 2.19.which is a worke onelyonly proper to God: for the Lord knoweth who are his. ſee arguments X. and XVIII.
Who have not defiled their garments] Their conſtant ſinceritie is ſet forth by this Metaphor: and by Garments is meant thus much: as their bodies were not polluted with the filthie manner and luſts of the Nicolaitans, ſo neither were their ſoules ſtained with their impious doctrine. Alike Metaphor the Apoſtle uſeth, 1. Theſſa. 4.4. That every one ſhould know, how to poſſes his veſſel, that is, his ſoule and bodie, in ſanctification and in honour; not in the luſt of concupiſcence, for this is the will of God, He. 12.14.even your ſanctification: and without this no man ſhall ſee him. Now Chriſt acknowledged them holy and undefiled, not as if they were altogither unreprovable, but becauſe they perſevered in faith and holineſſe of life, not withſtanding the neglect of the Paſtor, and the manifold evil examples round about them.
And they ſhall walke with mee] As hypocrites are threatned with puniſhment, ſo the Godly are incouraged with promiſes of reward.
In white] What may this bee? by this Metaphor is ſignified a heavenlie triumph, a kingdome, and glorie to come. It is taken from the ſtate of kings, & the great honour given unto mightie conquerours. With ſuch royal apparell, Herod was cloathed when he ſate on his throne, Act. 12.21and God ſmote him dead for his pride. So in ſcorne they clothed Chriſt the king of Glorie: Lu. 23.11It alſo was ancientlie a cuſtome to cloath the Conquerours with a white garment. To be ſhort white garments for their brightneſſe, were ſignes of Glorie: here then, Metaphorically the glorie of the ſaintes is promiſed; Thus it is ſaid, v. 5. He that overcommeth the ſame ſhal be cloathed in white raiment. & Rev. 7.11. White robes are given unto the elect, ſtanding before the throne, and chap. 19.14. the armies of Chriſt are cloathed in fine linnen white and cleane: But it may be ſaid; ſeeing their garments were now already pure & undefiled, 2. Cor. 5.2.therefore they needed not to be cloathed in white: To this the Apoſtle anſwereth: we groane earneſtly, deſiring to be cloathed, that we be not found naked. For the puritie and righteouſneſſe of the ſaintes on earth can not abide the judgment of God: & therefore they muſt be cloathed with the perfect robes of abſolute innocencie, ere they can ſtand before his majeſtie.
With me] They ſhal be partakers of my glorie. If the raiment of Chriſt, Mat. 17.2.on the mount, was white as the light: how much more doth he now ſhine beeing exalted: Yet ſo wil he cloath the ſaintes: for they ſhall ſhine as the ſunne, according to that proportion which is betwixt the head and the members. And hence foreign with me, may alſo be tranſlated, after me as if he ſhould ſay, ye ſhal be cloathed in white, next unto mee.
And they ſhal walke] Beza tranſlates it, and therfore they ſhal walke, which indeed expreſſeth the ſence: but not the words of the text.
For they are worthie] To wit, to walke with me in white: the argument is taken from the equitie of it. Thus doe the meſſengers of the Centurion beſeech Chriſt to heal his ſervant, becauſe he was worthie. Luk. 7.3.But this ſeemeth to eſtabliſh the doctrine of merits: for dignitie comes by vertue. For if we ſhall walke in white becauſe of our worthineſſe, then we deſerve the ſame for our workes ſake.
I anſwer the aſſumption is falſe: for the ſcripture no where ſaith, becauſe of our worthines, or workes: but when ſoever it mentioneth the judgement of God, we are ſaid to receive, foreign according to workes, but not foreign becauſe of workes, leaſt we ſhould conceive any opinion of meriting by them: which Chriſt expreſly denieth, Luk. 17. v. 10. When ye have done all thoſe things which are commanded you, ſay, we are unprofitable ſervants, we have done that which was our dutie to doe. We therfore ſhal walke in white, not becauſe of our worthineſſe, but according to it: for the particle (foreign) for, doth not ſignifie any cauſe of merit, but a qualitie agreeing with the juſtice of God, that is, ſhewing not why, but who they are that ſhall walke with Chriſt according to that in Mat. 5.3. bleſſed are the poore in ſpirit: for theirs is the Kingdome of heaven, &c. as if he had ſaid: becauſe unto ſuch, the kingdome of heaven is freely promiſed.
But againe though the aſſumption were granted: yet would not the propoſition be univerſally true. For dignitie in its kinde doth not alwayes proceed from vertue, but ſomtimes from dutie without vertue. So Nero had honour, and was worthie of honour in regard of dutie, but not in regard of any vertue in him. So in particular our worthineſſe before God, is not becauſe of the worthineſſe of our workes, but of grace, by which he maketh us worthy, by calling, juſtifying and glorifying of us. As the Apoſtle plainly teacheth us, 2. Theſſ. 1.5. where, after he had ſaid, that the tribulations of the Godly, were a manifeſt token of the righteous judgement of God, that they might be counted worthy of the kingdome of God: (leaſt this ſhould be miſaplyed to a worthyneſſe of merit) he prayeth v. 11. that God would count them worthy of this calling. As none therfore deſerve or are worthy to be called of God: ſo neyther doth our worthineſſe prove any thing for the doctrine of merit. If they object from chap. 16.6. For they are worthy; that as there the deſerved cauſe of puniſhment is of themſelves: ſo here the meritorious cauſe of reward. The conſequence wil not follow from the rule of contraries: for the compariſons are not alike. Becauſe in order of juſtice al evil workes whatſoever deſerve puniſhment: for the ſoule that ſinneth ſhall dy. But good workes how great-ſoever, beeing debts & duties, can-not merit at the hands of God.
5. He that overcommeth the ſame ſhall be cloathed] Gr. foreign he, but the old tranſlator reads it foreign ſo, ſhall he be cloathed.
The concluſion containes a promiſe, with an Epiphonema as formerly.
The promiſe is extended, not onelyonly to thoſe few in Sardis ſpoken of, but to all who overcome the world, Satan &c. ſe chap. 2. v. 7.11.12.26. Thus by a threefold promiſe all are ſtirred up to hope for victorie: the two former are metaphorically propounded: the third properlie: yet all ſeem to ſignifie one thing: for what can be given to them that overcome more, then the crowne of life eternal? however in the reward promiſed we may note a certain gradation.
Firſt, He ſhall be cloathed with white raiments] This, by a metaphor, ſignifies the heavenly glorie with which we ſhall be cloathed, as with a royal garment. What more?
I wil not blot out his name out of the booke of life] This further notes the eternitie of glorie: for not to have our names blotted out of the booke of life, is to have them allwayes remaine therein: that is, to enioy eternal glorie. What more?
I wil confeſſe his name] A further degree, promiſing to make knowen the conſtancie and faith of every one by name, even before the throne of the bleſſed trinitie, and in the preſence of the holy Angels. A glorie indeed ſurpaſſing mans opprehenſion: For what is more honourable then when a general doth by name before the whole armie, declare the valiant exploites of this or that ſouldiour? But this Chriſt promiſeth here to doe: and in Mat. 10.32. Whoſoever therfore ſhall confeſſe me before men, him will I confeſſe alſo before my father which is in heaven: but whoſoever ſhall denie me before men, him will I alſo denie before my father which is in heaven.
And before his Angels.] As beeing the moſt holie miniſters of God, and witneſſes of our glorie.
Hence we note, firſt, that the ſaintes are ſaid to have a two fould cloathing; for as we heard before, ſome in Sardis were commended for not defiling of their garments: and yet promiſed beſides to have other white garments given unto them: the former are ſaid to be ours, not as proceeding from our ſelves, but becauſe we are enioyned to have them, meaning, both morall endowments of bodie and mind: as alſo the grace of faith and love, and other ſpiritual gifts: which we muſt have and preſerve cleane and undefiled, 2. Cor. 5.3.that ſo we may be cloathed hereafter in white. According to that of the Apoſtle: If ſo be that being cloathed we ſhall not be found naked. For no man ſhall be cloathed in white in the heavens, who hath not been indued with faith and true repentance in this life.
Secondlie, we are to take notice, that in ſcripture, God is ſaid metaphorically to have a threefold booke. The first is the booke of his providence, which is the knowledge and counſel of God concerning the actions and events of all things firſt and laſt, of this the prophet ſpeaketh Pſa. 139.6.16. &c. all things are written in thy booke. The other, is the booke of Gods univerſal judgment, which is his knowledge concerning all thoſe things which everie one hath don whither it be good or evil, and to be judged accordingly in the laſt day: as in cha. 20.12. and the bookes were opened. The third, is the booke of life, that is, Gods praedeſtinating both of the elect and reprobates: Pſ. 69.29. Iſai. 4.5. Dan. 12.2. Phili. 4.3. Reve. 18.8 & 17.8. & 22.19.the firſt are ſaid to be written in this booke, the other not, but blotted out: of this the ſcripture ſpeakes in many places: yet that in Rev. 20.12. then the bookes were opened, may be underſtood of them all: for in the ſame verſe, the booke of life is expreſly mentioned: Thus God is ſaid to have bookes metaphoricallie. Not as if eyther he hath, or ſtood in need thereof: for ſo it cannot bee, but by an Anthropopatheia he ſpeaketh to our capaſitie: For God doth all things without ſuch help or meanes, even by his eternal foreknowledge, counſel, government and judgment. But thus men cannot doe, for whatſoever is don in their counſels, cities, families, contracts &c. for memory ſake is ſet down in writing, that ſo as there is occaſion, they may looke it over and call to mind ſuch things, as they deſire.
Now concerning the elect, Luk. 10.20.two things here are ſpoken of them: Firſt, that their names are written in the booke of life. Phil. 4.3. or in heaven: as Luk. 10.20. by which manner of ſpeech we are taught, that true beleevers doe not obtaine ſalvation by chance, but were elected of God to life in Chriſt before the foundations of the world: and known from them that periſh. Secondly, their names are never blotted out of this booke, as it is here teſtified, J will not blot out his name out of the booke of life. By which phraſe is ſignifyed, that the ſalvation of the Elect is certaine and ſure, and that they ſhall never periſh: according to the promiſe: no man ſhall plucke my ſheep of my hand. It is impoſsible the elect ſhould be ſeduced. All which ſerves, not for curioſitie, but for our comfort, that we being certaine of our ſalvation, might joyfullie perſevere in weldoeing unto the end.
Of infidels and reprobates two things are alſo ſpoken:
First that their names are not written in the booke of life: as appeares, Rev. 13.8. Rev. 13.8& 17.8. & 20.15.
Secondly: they are blotted out of the booke of life, Pſ. 69.28.and caſt into the lake of fire: Let them be blotted out of the booke of the living, and not be written with the righteous. And, whoſoever was not found written in the booke of life, was caſt into the lake of fire, by which is ſignified, that they who are not predeſtinated ſhall certainlie periſh.
But this ſeems to imply a contradiction, as not to be written, & yet to be blotted out. I anſwer: that this is taken in a double ſence. 1: Eyther of ſuch who in the Eternal counſell of God are thus written, and ſo are never blotted out. Or, 2: according to the appearance, and boaſting of hypocrites: For thus they are ſaid to be blotted out: that is, declared never to have been written therein: we ſee there are many hypocrites in the Church, who are taken for a while to be the elect of God, whereas in truth they are not. Therfore when their hypocriſie is diſcovered, and they juſtlie caſt out of the church, then they are ſaid to be blotted out: As Ambroſe & Auguſtine have wel obſerved. Matt. 24.24. Io. 10.28.Not withſtanding it followeth not, that any of the Elect ſhalbe blotted out, For this is contrarie to that promiſe of God. It is impoſſible the Elect ſhould periſh, none ſhall plucke my ſheep out of my hand.
This argument concerning our perſeverance is full of comfort: for all the faithfull, being elected, are written in the booke of life, and ſhall never be blotted out. Whoſoever therefore can now aſſure himſelf to be a beleever, ought certainly now to beleeve, that he is the choſen of God, and that he ſhall aſſuredlie perſevere in his faith, feare and ſervice for evermore: yet not by his owne ſtrength (for that were preſumption and repugnant unto faith) but by the power of God, who keepeth the elect through faith unto ſalvation, 1. Pet. 1.5.ready to be revealed in the laſt time.
6. He which hath an care] This needs no new explication, but practiſe. See chap. 2. v. 7.11.17.